My personal experience with Aflac

[J.R.]

I think it is prudent for you to have an understanding of the "process" vs. an actual script for dealing with gate-keepers. The easiest way for me to get through the gatekeeper is to use the pitch on her and then ask. Do you think your boss would be interested in hearing more about X??? Works well to get appts. with the gatekeeper and/or her boss.

If the individual you are dealing with is giving you a hard time find another mentor who values your time......

 

[Guest]

I swear. It seems everyone and their dog has a problem with Aflac. Agents, clients, policy owners... I don't know how they stay in business.

I interviewed with the Aflac agency in Roseville, CA. The woman who ran the agency was... well I don't want to say bad things about anyone in a public forum... but it was obvious to me that there was a lot more hype than substance.

Soon afterward I answered an ad from Colonial Supplemental, the #2 in the workplace-sup sector, found a really nice, supportive group of people and a manager who has invested time and energy to get me up to speed. No, I've not written a lot of business for them... mainly because (to my mind) the company is a non-entity in the West. They do little (like none!) in the way of marketing such that everyone I call on has never heard of them... but have been called on by half a dozen Aflac agents in the past six months.

Still, I have hopes that I can 'break out' with Colonial.... maybe if I spend more time calling on prospects (which I've not done a whole lot of as I've been concentrating on healthcare coverage.)

I never hear or see complants about Colonial Yes, they have had a somewhat checkered past, but they seem to have corrected the problems (way before my time with them) and no matter what anyone else might say about them, I've not found a company like Colonial that treats me like 'gold' and who can't do enough for me.

Unfortunately they won't do the ONE thing I've told them that they NEED to do... and that is to do some advertising/marketing... perhaps in the Sacramento Business Journal. I'd love to call on a client who, when I ask "Are you familar with our company" they answer "Sure, I've seen (heard) some of your advertisements."

Everyone on the planet has seen the damn Aflac duck. So how do you compete against that?

Years ago, Colonial used to have a bear as it's mascott, (vs. the Aflac duck)... but they are just too stupid to use it these days. They spend zero on marketing... but are still #2 in the industry... but with everyone else jumping into this market (AIG, Allstate, Assurity, Pru, etc.) they are going to have to do something for us agents... or they will lose us.

The first company that comes along and mounts a serious marketing charge against Aflac will grab a lot of their business. Aflac has a lot of unhappy customers and agents.

My advice to the OP is to find another carrier. It never gets better from when/where it started... it only gets worse. It's an immutable rule of sales... especially in the insurance industry. The way you are treated before the sale... is how you will be treated after the sale.

Sorry for the Rant. I'm not a good writer.. in that I can't ever make anything short. As Mark Twain once wrote to a friend, "I would have made this letter shorter... but I didn't have the time."

Al
www.InsuranceSolutions123.com

 

[James]

I am trying to get started with Aflac. I have 22+ years experience in field sales of technical products, and have a lot of confidence in my general sales skills. Being paid on 100% commission is a plus to me, as is the flexibility and freedom of setting my own schedule. I received my life and health license about 3 weeks ago. So far I have made several field trips with my district sales coordinator. He and I get along very well.

The problem(s): Last week was the formal training class. My DSC told me late the week before that I would be one of the best prepared for the class. I wasn't. Being as objective as I can, I was one of the least prepared, in terms of script knowledge, quality of qualified leads, and product knowledge. This shook my self confidence to the point that I dropped out of the last class day. On what would have been the last class day I went in and talked to him about the experience. He was surprised by my assessment, but didn't try to convince me otherwise.

Also: I had talked to him a couple of times about the gatekeeper scripts, in that based on my experience, they seem high pressure, and could be considered marginally deceptive. I asked to see someone who was experienced, do prospecting and cold calling. The requests fell by the wayside. During our last conversation, I reminded him that I really wanted to see the gatekeeper scripts in action. He finally got up and we arranged for me to accompany his coordinator in training the next afternoon (a Friday). Mid-morning I received a message from her that she can't go prospecting after all, she has an enrollment that is going to go far into the afternoon. We can either try to do it very late that (Friday) afternoon, or see about rescheduling some time next week. To me the common sense answer was to reschedule.

So now I am forced to ask myself, is my focus on this part reasonable? I have never had any questions or reservations about the rest of the scripted and non-scripted sales process. It seems completely natural to me. Is the apparent difficulty of a seeing the gatekeeper portion live, an aberration of this office? In the opinions of the experienced agents, is it likely to make a difference anyway, or should I revisit my decision to do this at all?

Many thanks in advance.

I would have to agree with Al, Colonial or AIG would be a better choice. Hasn't AIG open up several new offices in Knoxville? I believe they have in the last 2-3 years. Plus it is a well known name, even though their commercials really do suck.

 

[policy doctor]

You'll weed yourself out.

So Aflac now has scripts, huh? When I was with them, over 10 years ago, there was no such thing. You basically winged it...phone, in person, whatever.

They are great believers of door to door canvassing of businesses. This will lead to requests for other products, like major medical, life.

I knew agents, myself included, who had their accounts switched to another for servicing. Hope this has stopped. Watch your back.

The reason many new Aflac agents don't make it is usually poor support from their DM and the grind of continual prospecting. Ask your DM for some orphan accounts....LOL...they are reluctant to share. Good Luck.

 

[STIBROKER]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9O33rOvOoc0

 

[jfs]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9O33rOvOoc0

Not exactly the kind of response I expected, but pretty funny. Thanks!

 

[Dave020]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9O33rOvOoc0

Dang, funniest video I have seen in awhile! Excellent. Love your Beagle -
here are my two coonhounds (Walkers)

The boxer mix is my oldest, boxer/lab/chow.

Dave
www.davefluker.com

 

[Mr. Bill]

I think the funniest thing about this thread is that one could subsitute World Financial Group for Aflac when you're talking about process!

 

[Winter_123]

I am trying to get started with Aflac. I have 22+ years experience in field sales of technical products, and have a lot of confidence in my general sales skills. Being paid on 100% commission is a plus to me, as is the flexibility and freedom of setting my own schedule. I received my life and health license about 3 weeks ago. So far I have made several field trips with my district sales coordinator. He and I get along very well.

.

I think that the bottom line is that eventually you will find that there is no future with Aflac. If that is the route you chose to get going then there is no fault in starting somewhere. However, it is an extremely labor intensive sales routine. It has its value in that you are learning to prospect business to business and that has its usefulness which will benefit you when you move on. There is no client case development or advising involved though -and you are not building a book of business- some occasional cross-sellng noted. There are some district managers here and there making some big dollars but thousands and thousands of agents who are just churning in and out which infuriates business owners even more as they deal with the bewildering number of Aflac agents each month.

My view only of course.

Winter

 

[clk1206]

Jfs,

I have been with AFLAC about 6 weeks now. Although i am fairly new, it is not so bad. When i first started my DSC gave me a couple of accounts to service. A lot of referrals have came from this. What AFLAC doesnt do is teach their agents how to service their accounts, therefore a lot of agents just focus on opening new accounts, and they forget about servicing the old accounts, which leaves the business owners upset and sometimes dont want anything to do with AFLAC anymore. However, in my experience, once i have helped them resolve something, like one business had cancelled their account 18 months ago, but the agent never cancelled and AFLAC was still charging them, Aflac back paid them about $3800, and they were more relaxed, and they were willing to let me re enroll their new employees who were interested. I have seen that Aflac does pay their claims, and you could use the heavy marketing they do to your advantage. Our office announced they are even with Nascar now.

I doubt if you will see some veterans making cold calls and prospecting. In my office, the veterans get a lot of referrals and they work with brokers. I have spent time with one veteran and all he does is service accounts. He told me he makes good money doing this. About $1500 to $2000 a week, and thats on a 70/30 split with the person who opened the account. On top of that he also does advertisement in a small paper to write direct policies.

I think you should ask for some accounts that needs servicing. Im sure they have plenty, if not, do some cold calling youreself and offer to provide breakfast or lunch, if you can afford it, my DSC told us to get the appointment by offering breakfast or lunch and he will pay for it and close it, and it has worked. so far.This gets me in the door, and i have been able to give quite a few people some quotes on health insurance at least 7 or 8 that im going to follow up with, and maybe 2 or 3 on life insurance so far.